The Top 4 IT Solutions SMBs Need to Have

Regardless of size and industry, businesses everywhere must prepare to adopt IT services and tools to stay competitive. 

Management teams must carefully procure and manage the tools on which their employees rely. It’s no wonder why IT spending reached $4.5 trillion worldwide in 2022.

But as a small or starting company with limited resources, you’re probably wondering what essential IT solutions you should consider first. While the needs of individual companies vary, some tools are so versatile that almost any organization must consider them.

Here are the top 4 IT solutions SMBs must have at the top of their priority lists, what advantages they bring to the companies they serve, and how you can pick them up at a reasonable price.

#1: Computer Imaging

A computer image is a “snapshot” of the state of an operating system or software. Computer images often capture the original starting state of an operating system. IT technicians can then reset devices to this previous state using these images or replicate the software across multiple newly-deployed devices.

Images are necessary whenever technicians must set up or upgrade new computers or refresh existing ones suffering from significant software-related problems. Businesses maintain corporate OS images with configurations that match the company’s use cases and standards.

Why Computer Imaging Matters in Business

Imaging plays a significant role in PC lifecycle management. It ensures:

• Consistency: When you have a standardized OS image, all new devices can start from a single state, ensuring consistency in your workflow. For example, if your teams ever encounter issues with specific devices, you can safely rule out OS-related causes. The result is more productive PC lifecycle management and lower operational costs for the IT department.
• Proper deployment: Computers are rarely in an ideal state out of the box. OEM manufacturers often load up bloatware or outdated drivers and software that are difficult to remove or change manually. An OS image instantly readies a new device for your business.
• Software updates: Pushing software updates while keeping all devices secure can be tedious without imaging solutions.

High-risk industries like finance even rely on computer imaging for data protection. Images help sanitize sensitive data from an older device, ensuring legal compliance with data protection regulations.

Why You Need a Solution for Computer Imaging

Computer imaging, one of the crucial steps of IT systems management, is also one of the largest sources of inefficiencies. Even smaller businesses must handle hundreds of devices and different reference images for various deployments.

With the right imaging solution, you can handle multiple hardware endpoints and keep track of the images you use efficiently. These services also scale with your organization as it adopts new endpoints with new software. Working with a service provider also gives you instant access to technical support if issues arise.

#2: Data Wiping

Small businesses always work with sensitive data, from their employees’ personal contact information to their customers’ payment methods. Disposing that digital data properly and preventing data breaches is actually more involved than most think.

You can’t rely on the recycle bin to delete a file permanently, and you can’t risk anybody digging through your discarded devices and drives and recovering potentially compromising information. So have a data destruction procedure in place for decommissioned equipment.

Why Data Destruction Matters in Business

IT teams need formal data disposal policies to protect the internal data they store, including their clients’ contact information and payment details. Doing so ensures:

• Compliance with data protection regulations: Businesses face significant penalties and fines every year due to data breaches and the negligent handling of sensitive information. Even having a formal data disposal system is a requirement in many jurisdictions.
• A positive reputation for your business: No one wants to work with a brand that leaks personal information or doesn’t care for the privacy of its clients, employees, and business partners. Reduce your cybersecurity risk to set yourself apart from the competition.
• A streamlined IT asset management system: Data disposal policies prevent data hidden in old storage drives and mobile devices from leaking, even after you’ve thrown them out. IT asset management is more streamlined this way, as technicians won’t have to worry about security risks when retiring older hardware.

Data destruction can occur by degaussing the hard drive or physically destroying it. However, the method most businesses should turn to is data wiping because it leaves the drive usable afterwards.

Why You Need a Data Wiping Service

Wiping is a data destruction method that uses software to overwrite the memory addresses on a storage drive to render the previous data unreadable. On top of being more accessible to SMBs, it’s an eco-friendly solution that prevents hardware from becoming instant e-waste. Instead, it’s possible to refurbish or reuse wiped drives and devices.

#3: IT Asset Management

As its name suggests, IT asset management (ITAM) is a service focused on deploying and maintaining an organization’s IT assets, hardware, and software systems.

Because these assets are only usable for a set period, ITAM is essential to maximizing the value you get out of your computers and other IT resources. It involves procuring and deploying new endpoints, maintaining and planning their use, and retiring and disposing of them while ensuring minimal waste. The main components of ITAM are:

• Asset identification. IT departments start by taking a detailed inventory of their digital assets. Even smaller businesses will likely have dozens or even hundreds of endpoints to track.
• Asset tracking. Technicians must collect detailed information on those assets. Hardware devices should have their location and condition listed, while software assets should include warranties, licenses, and service-level agreements.
• Asset maintenance. Depending on a device’s position in its lifecycle, the IT team might wish to repair, upgrade, or replace a piece of hardware or renew or discontinue a software subscription.

As an additional benefit, ITAM gives insight into your IT assets and facilitates better decision-making when deciding on budgets and new deployments.

Why IT Asset Management Can Be Challenging

Asset management was considerably easier when businesses entirely owned all their assets. Today, we’re seeing the rise of subscription-based software-as-a-service, where teams are procuring, setting up, and customizing the tools they use through online marketplaces and application stores.

Controlling these assets requires special attention, especially as the company grows and picks up more devices and services. Centralized IT asset management is paramount here so that employees don’t attempt to ad-lib it.

Why You Need an ITAM Solution

IT asset management lends itself well to software automation. Modern solutions can scan your business network and automatically detect hardware endpoints and installed software. You also get a convenient location to view software versions, install patches, and track licensing agreements.

#4: Computer Refurbishing

Refurbishing is common in the electronics market, enabling pre-owned computers and mobile devices to find new life.

After a consumer returns a device for any reason, the original manufacturer or a third-party service provider inspects, repairs, and cleans it before putting it back on the market. Unlike buying from the used market, a refurbished product will typically be in much better condition and come with a warranty, return policy, and customer service from the refurbisher.

Electronics refurbishing makes sense even for businesses because of the:

• Reduced cost: Refurbishing brings the end user the low cost associated with the used market without the same quality control concerns. IT departments looking to save on the budget should consider refurbishing services for their procurement primarily for this reason.
• Quality standards: A certified refurbisher knows how to repair a device properly before putting it back on the market. Since businesses have high standards for the reliability of their tools, refurbishing ensures your workflows don’t face interruptions from equipment failures.
• Reliable servicing: Another advantage over the used market is the buyer protection offered by refurbishing services. You often get the same perks as buying new, such as a warranty and return policy.
• Eco-friendliness: E-waste is becoming an increasingly pressing issue as the years go on, with 53.6 million metric tons produced by 2019. Refurbishing is one of the best ways to avoid turning old electronics into e-waste.

Microsoft itself supports the refurbished market with its Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) certification program. Service providers with this distinction meet Microsoft’s high standards for refurbishing and receive official software licenses from the company.

Partner with CNB Computers for All Your IT Needs

Keeping up with today’s competition means finding the right IT partner to empower your business.

Whether you need help with computer imaging, IT asset management, data disposal, or refurbishing — CNB Computers can help.

Get in touch with our team today to explore our catalog of essential IT services.